diff --git a/command/apply.go b/command/apply.go
index 35dcde348..4734b4fea 100644
--- a/command/apply.go
+++ b/command/apply.go
@@ -19,13 +19,11 @@ type ApplyCommand struct {
 }
 
 func (c *ApplyCommand) Run(args []string) int {
-	var init bool
 	var statePath, stateOutPath string
 
 	args = c.Meta.process(args)
 
 	cmdFlags := c.Meta.flagSet("apply")
-	cmdFlags.BoolVar(&init, "init", false, "init")
 	cmdFlags.StringVar(&statePath, "state", DefaultStateFilename, "path")
 	cmdFlags.StringVar(&stateOutPath, "state-out", "", "path")
 	cmdFlags.Usage = func() { c.Ui.Error(c.Help()) }
@@ -59,15 +57,8 @@ func (c *ApplyCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		stateOutPath = statePath
 	}
 
-	// The state path to use to generate a plan. If we're initializing
-	// a new infrastructure, then we don't use a state path.
-	planStatePath := statePath
-	if init {
-		planStatePath = ""
-	}
-
 	// Build the context based on the arguments given
-	ctx, err := c.Context(configPath, planStatePath, true)
+	ctx, err := c.Context(configPath, statePath, true)
 	if err != nil {
 		c.Ui.Error(err.Error())
 		return 1
@@ -192,11 +183,6 @@ Usage: terraform apply [options] [dir]
 
 Options:
 
-  -init                  If specified, new infrastructure can be built (no
-                         previous state). This is just a safety switch
-                         to prevent accidentally spinning up a new
-                         infrastructure.
-
   -no-color              If specified, output won't contain any color.
 
   -state=path            Path to read and save state (unless state-out
diff --git a/command/apply_test.go b/command/apply_test.go
index 452e2a8a8..e5a9d2cd7 100644
--- a/command/apply_test.go
+++ b/command/apply_test.go
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ func TestApply(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	args := []string{
-		"-init",
 		"-state", statePath,
 		testFixturePath("apply"),
 	}
@@ -66,7 +65,6 @@ func TestApply_configInvalid(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	args := []string{
-		"-init",
 		"-state", testTempFile(t),
 		testFixturePath("apply-config-invalid"),
 	}
@@ -102,7 +100,6 @@ func TestApply_defaultState(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	args := []string{
-		"-init",
 		testFixturePath("apply"),
 	}
 	if code := c.Run(args); code != 0 {
@@ -168,7 +165,6 @@ func TestApply_error(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	args := []string{
-		"-init",
 		"-state", statePath,
 		testFixturePath("apply-error"),
 	}
@@ -220,7 +216,6 @@ func TestApply_noArgs(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	args := []string{
-		"-init",
 		"-state", statePath,
 	}
 	if code := c.Run(args); code != 0 {
@@ -373,7 +368,6 @@ func TestApply_shutdown(t *testing.T) {
 	}()
 
 	args := []string{
-		"-init",
 		"-state", statePath,
 		testFixturePath("apply-shutdown"),
 	}
@@ -516,7 +510,6 @@ func TestApply_vars(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	args := []string{
-		"-init",
 		"-var", "foo=bar",
 		"-state", statePath,
 		testFixturePath("apply-vars"),
@@ -559,7 +552,6 @@ func TestApply_varFile(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	args := []string{
-		"-init",
 		"-var-file", varFilePath,
 		"-state", statePath,
 		testFixturePath("apply-vars"),
diff --git a/command/meta.go b/command/meta.go
index a21c47d5e..7b44474f6 100644
--- a/command/meta.go
+++ b/command/meta.go
@@ -59,26 +59,15 @@ func (m *Meta) Context(path, statePath string, doPlan bool) (*terraform.Context,
 		}
 	}
 
-	if statePath != "" {
-		if _, err := os.Stat(statePath); err != nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf(
-				"There was an error reading the state file. The path\n"+
-					"and error are shown below. If you're trying to build a\n"+
-					"brand new infrastructure, explicitly pass the '-init'\n"+
-					"flag to Terraform to tell it it is okay to build new\n"+
-					"state.\n\n"+
-					"Path: %s\n"+
-					"Error: %s",
-				statePath,
-				err)
-		}
-	}
-
 	// Load up the state
 	var state *terraform.State
 	if statePath != "" {
 		f, err := os.Open(statePath)
-		if err == nil {
+		if err != nil && os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			// If the state file doesn't exist, it is okay, since it
+			// is probably a new infrastructure.
+			err = nil
+		} else if err == nil {
 			state, err = terraform.ReadState(f)
 			f.Close()
 		}